The paper aims at creating opportunities for the use of resources among displaced people in a meaningful way and with the objective of becoming less dependent, more self-reliant and able to care for the family
The paper aims at creating opportunities for the use of resources among displaced people in a meaningful way and with the objective of becoming less dependent, more self-reliant and able to care for the family
The paper aims at creating opportunities for the use of resources among displaced people in a meaningful way and with the objective of becoming less dependent, more self-reliant and able to care for the family
Displacement frequently results in the loss of key livelihood assets, such
as land, production materials, infrastructure or financial capital. Without access to their regular asset base, including the means for income generation, refugees and IDPs become dependent on the passive reception of relief aid and support from the host community. In such a situation, income generation is a key programmatic strategy to address the need to find alternative means to make a living in a dignified way: it aims at creating opportunities for the use of resources among displaced people in a meaningful way and with the objective of becoming less dependent, more self-reliant and able to care for the family. Furthermore, providing support to income generation activities among people of concern, including host communities, can support local economic development in a broader sense: income generation programmes frequently provide new skills, services and opportunities for host communities and can stimulate the local economy, thereby linking relief with development. Similarly, this is the case when displaced people avail themselves of a durable solution. In situations of conflict-induced displacement and the associated search for durable solutions, income generation is an essential tool to translate into practice both rights-based and livelihood-approaches to humanitarian interventions: through income generation, rights-holders strengthen their coping mechanisms and capacities for self-protection in a dignified manner. In that sense, grant and microfinance programmes are ways to empower refugees, IDPs and returnees to generate their own income. Income generating activities are frequently based upon livelihood-oriented data-collection and analysis prior to the intervention. During displacement, people of concern tend to become engaged in new ways to make ends meet. For DRCRC, it is critical to map existing skills and understand the livelihood pathways that emerge in such a situation in order to identify the ideal entry point for humanitarian action. Because the capacity to generate an income is embedded in and depends on a host of other skills and assets, income generating activities rarely stand alone in DRC s programmes. Income generating activities DRC defines income generating activities as small-scale projects that create an income source to individual beneficiaries or beneficiary groups whilst promoting a) the principal right to self-determination and b) the objectives of integration, repatriation and (re-integration).
DRC uses the notion of income generation relatively broadly and as a
cover term for a wide variety of activities such as micro-credit, grants, skills- and vocational training, business training, cash/food for work (asset creation) schemes, local economic development initiatives and even small- and medium enterprise development.